The last word stuck in my throat, but it was worth the effort of forcing it out when Xander’s face contorted.
Jo laughed. “Yes, darling,” she said, poking Xander in the arm before he swatted her away. “Go talk with your wife. Daegal and I will see what we can do about finding some horses.”
My fake husband glowered at his friend before reaching into his cloak. He withdrew his hand, tossing her a small bag. The leather pouch jingled as it sailed through the air. Jo caught it easily, tucking it into her own skirts.
“Thank you, Xan,” Jo said, before darting through the trees to catch up with Daegal.
“Don’t spend it all in one place,” he muttered.
Josephine threw up her hand in a rude gesture, laughing as she tugged on her hood and joined the Fortune Elf.
Once the two of them were well and truly out of sight, Xander turned to me. “You wanted to talk, Sunshine?”
I scowled at him, crossing my arms. “Are you going to tell your friends the truth about us? About how we aren’t really married?”
“Are you sure you’d like to do that?” he asked in a low voice as his golden eyes bore into mine.
I swallowed, taking a step back as he advanced toward me. He loomed over me, his height suddenly much more pronounced than before.
My heart pounded in my chest as the air between us became charged. I moved to slip my hand into my pocket, but Xander was faster than me. His hand on my arm was like a brand.
“Let me go!” I insisted.
He shifted his grip on me, sliding his hand to my wrist and pulling me tight against him. Tsking, he tilted his head as he held onto me. “Come now, Ana,” he hissed, “can’t we have one conversation without you trying to stab me?”
Huffing, I tried to pull my wrist away from him. “Perhaps if you dislike being stabbed so much, you should be less aggravating.”
Xander’s eyes flashed as he leaned in and he snarled, “I’mthe aggravating one?”
“Yes, dear husband of mine, you are aggravating.” I glared at him. “Also, in case you were wondering, you’re irritating, rude, and being around you brings me great displeasure. So pardon me if you inspire a desire for violence every time we are together.”
Xander pulled back, but didn’t remove his hand from my arm. “Unbelievable. You are a frustrating, vexing, horrible creature.”
I gaped at him. “How dare you speak to me in such a fashion?”
“How dare I?” He laughed, and I got the horrible feeling that this conversation was not going to go my way. “How dare I? Let me tell you something,Sunshine. Why don’t you stop trying to stab me and we can talk about thetruth?”
He hissed the last word, and my heart stopped.
Trying to regain my footing in what felt like a battle I was quickly losing, I nodded. “Yes. The truth. Tell me what you got from the city.”
He shook his head, bringing his eyes within inches of mine. The air between us was charged, and I sucked in a deep breath as he stared at me. “No, Ana. I don’t think I will. There’s a more interesting truth than what I was getting in Thyr, isn’t there?”
“What are you talking about?” I asked nervously. My voice squeaked, and I hated that. I tried to avoid his gaze, but he was right in front of me. All big and hot and angry. His nearness to me…. it was so much. Too much. My senses were overloading. My heart was pounding, my lungs tight. Even his hand on mine felt like it was searing my skin.
“There are so many truths to choose from,” he said. “How about the truth about our pact to help each other? The way our auras are inexplicably intertwined?”
“I—”
He snarled, “Or perhaps you’d like me to tell my friends you are Remington’s errant fiancée?”
How did he find out?
Suddenly, breathing became a chore. My mouth opened and closed repeatedly as my heart hammered in my chest. A roaring filled my ears and my muscles trembled as Xander walked us backward, pushing me against a tree.
“Ah yes,” he said, nodding as he boxed me in against the trunk. “I thought so.”
“Did Daegal tell you?” I forced the question out through clenched teeth. My palms were sweating, my entire body shaking as I stared at the imposing male.